Roof



' March 14, 1939.

F. GETTELMAN 2,150,217

ROOF

Filed March 12, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet l I z) 20 22 15 1 I3 12, 1 l 25 INVENTOR I FEEDEIGK GETTEl-MAN 2M WW I ATTORNEYG March 14, 1939. GETTELMAN 2,150,217

ROOF Filed March 12, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR FRED Ri c. G ETT'ELMAN AM AFMYAM IATTORNEY$ Patented Mar. 14, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 14 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in roofs, particularly roofs formed of metal sheets, or sheets of other material having similar tensile strength and rigidity.

Objects of my invention are to provide a roof composed of metal sheets or equivalent material, and which roof will have much less heat conductivity than the ordinary metal roofs heretofore made; to provide such a roof with ventilating means to intercept heat units which otherwise would enter the building from the exterior; to provide such a roof with suitable air pockets to prevent heat transfer outwardly from the interior of the building; to provide such a roof with ventilating passages substantially co-extensive with the area of the roof, and valve means for closing such passages to entrap and retain a non-heat-conducting equally co-extensive layer of air; and to provide a roof of extreme carrying power in proportion to the weight of the roof, whereby it will not be crushed by loads of snow or ice, even though its supports are widely spaced.

A further object is to provide a roof composed of superposed sheets of ribbed material arranged with the ribs out of registry with each other, and serving as supporting and spacing members, said members also forming intervening air cavities which may be sub-divided by spacing blocks for air trapping purposes, or which may be left open to provide ventilating passages, or in which the spaces between two sets of superposed sheets may be sub-divided for air trapping purposes and the spaces between them and a third set of superposed sheets may be left open in warm weather for ventilating purposes or closed in cold weather for air trapping purposes.

A further object is to provide means whereby a roof composed of series of sets of superposed sheets may have those of each set detachably interlocked with those of the set below it to facilitate assembly, the superposed sheets being preferably spaced from each other in a manner to effectually obstruct heat transfer from the interior to the exterior, and, if desired, also in a manner to eiiectually intercept and carry away heat units penetrating the upper layer from the exterior under certain conditions.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a View, in vertical section transverse to the eaves and ridge, of a fragment of a building equipped with my improved roof.

Figure 2 is a sectional view drawn to line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary detail showing; the

means for detachably interlocking superposed sheets.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary detail showing means for interlocking the bottom sheet with a supporting truss.

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 2, but showing a modification, in which the intermediate layer is disposed with its ribs at right angles to those of the other twolayers.

Figure 6 is a plan View of the same with the upper layers progressively broken away to disclose the others.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary view, showing a modification in which the sets of superposed sheets are permanently connected or welded to each other.

Like parts are identified by the same reference characters throughout the several views.

In the embodiment shown in Figures 1, 2, 3, and l, my improved roof is formed with sets of sheets H], which are lineally overlapped from the ridge downwardly in the customary manned, except that the sheets are arranged in sets superposed one upon another, three sets of such overlaid, sheets being illustrated.

Each sheet is upset along parallel lines to provide intermediate ribs ll, preferably of a generally V-shaped form in cross section. The side margins, i. e., the margins parallel with ribs H, are similarly upset to form hook-shaped flanges l2 adapted to interlock with similar flanges l3 on the registering margino-f another sheet. Each sheet has a flange l2 along one margin and a flange l3 along its opposite margin.

The flanges [3 .are formed to fit into the hooks of the flanges l2, and the interlocked flanges l2 and I3 form ribs similar to the ribs II and corresponding channels in the other face of the-sheets. The channels of the interlocked ribs [2 and I3 will preferably be wholly or partially filled with sealing material l5, such as lead or other material which may be poured into these channels and allowed to. harden. Such filling material may be employed only for the channels in the upper layer of sheets, andit will be needed only at the interlocked joints formed by the flanges I2 and 13, since the purpose of the filling is to prevent leakage.

The sheets of the upper and intermediate layers are provided at intervals with suitable hooks, each of which is adapted for interlocking engagement with the sheet below. In a metal roof these hooks may be formed of strips of sheet metal, one endof which serves as a shank 20 and the other end of which is reversely bent to form the hook proper 2!. The end portion of the hook 2! is substantially parallel with the sheet ill to which the shank 20 is attached, and it is therefore adapted to interlock with a strap bracket 22, the end portions of which are secured to the underlaid sheet, and the intermediate portions of which are upwardly offset to receive the hook. The end portions of the bracket 22 and the shank portions 28 of the hooks may be welded to their associated sheets. I preferably Weld the shanks in order to avoid leakage through a sheet of the top layer, and it will be found convenient to weld all of the brackets and hooks in position on their respective sheets.

It will be observed that when the sheets are assembled to form an inclined roof they are assembled with the shanks 20 extending downwardly,

whereby the sheets of the superposed layers are suspended from the layers beneath them; Therefore, the hooks are under tension, tending to hold them in engagement with their respective brackets.

The hooks may be omitted from the sheets ll! of the lower layer, but between the sheets if! of the lower layer and the sheets ill of the intermediate layer I preferably interpose transversely extending spacing blocks 25. These blocks are fitted between the ribs l I, and between them and the corresponding ribs formed by the flanges l2 and !3, thereby providing air pockets between the blocks as indicated at 26 in Figure 1. But the space between the ribs of the upper or outer layer of sheets is preferably left open to provide passages extending from the eaves to the ridge, and a sheet metal ridge pole 28 may be employed which forms a tubular passage leading to a ventilator 30.

The lower sheet is of the upper set is preferably extended beyond its ribs and downturned, as indicated at 32. The lower sheet ll) of the intermediate set has its lower margin provided with a pivoted damper or valve 33, and one end of the pivot rod 34 is provided with a pulley-shaped valve actuating wheel 35, over which an operating chain 36 extends to a point from which a person standing on the ground at the side of the building may actuate the damper 33. This damp.- er may be opened during the summer and closed during the winter season, and a rotary valve 38 may be employed to close the passage through the tubular ridge pole 28 and prevent the escape of air to the ventilator 30 when ventilation is not desired.

The roof truss may be constructed in any ordinary manner. In the drawings I have illustrated purlin beams mounted on the upper chord M of the roof truss. The lower set of sheets I may be anchored to the purlin beams by any suitable means, but I preferably employ sheet metal strips 43, each of which encircles the purlin, and has an end portion 44 formed to fit into the hooks of the flanges I2 and provided with hook-shaped extremities 45 which enter the hooks of the flanges l3, as best shown in Figures 2 and 4, thereby securely interlocking the lower layers of the roof with the purlin beams.

In the construction as shown in Figures 1 to 4, inclusive, the roof sheets of the several layers are assembled with the ribs of one layer offset from those of the next layer. For mutual support, I preferably offset the ribs of the successive layers sufiiciently to avoid having ribs of one layer enter the counterpart depressions in the other layer, although keeping the ribs of one layer in proximity to those of the next, as clearly shown in Figure 2, where I have illustrated the ribs of the successive layers as offset to the left from the bottom layer to the top or outermost layer. With metal roofing of suitable gage and assembled in this manner, any ordinary weight may be adequately supported.

In Figure 5 I have illustrated a modification in which the intermediate roof layer has its sheets l9 disposed with its ribs extending transversely to the ribs on the upper layer of sheets and the lower layer of sheets. By so doing, I provide a series of transversely extending air pockets and utilize ribs on the intermediate layer of sheets to prevent air from flowing upwardly toward the ridge. In this manner I may dispense with the filler blocks 25 shown in Figure 1.

In Figure 7 I have illustrated a modification which dispenses with the hooks 2i, and permanently connects the sheets by welding them together, as indicated at 5B. In Figure '7 the filler I5 is largely omitted to expose the welding connections.

Wherever any filler block 25 crosses a rib channel the channel may be provided with a filling as illustrated in Figure 2, where the filler blocks cross the V-shaped channels in the lower sheets. These fillings prevent circulation of air in these channels from one side of the filler block to the other, which may be of comparatively inexpensive material, inasmuch as it is not exposed to the weather as is the sealing material 15 in the upper or outer set of sheets. The filler blocks may be used to close the ends of the various passages between the ribs, and when intermediate filler blocks are employed each passage may thus be completely sub-divided into a series of closed air pockets or cavities.

It will, of course, be understood that the roofing herein described may be provided with an additional roof covering of any suitable material, and the margins may be covered by any ordinary trim to completely conceal the metal roof. The use of such coverings and trim are well known in the art, and since no claim is made thereto illustration thereof is unnecessary.

I claim:

1. An inclined roof comprising the combination with suitable supports, of plural superposed sets. of partially overlapped sheets arranged with the upper set of sheets supported from, and in spaced relation to, the set below it, the opposing faces of said upper and lower sheets between the spacing means being respectively provided with mu.- tually engageable hooks and brackets, adapted to be interlocked for anchorage purposes.

2. The combination with roof supporting members, of a set of metal sheets anchored to the supports, a superposed assembly of metal sheets having depressed interlocking side margins and intermediate depressed portions forming ribs parallel with said side margins and cooperative therewith to support the second set of sheets in spaced relationship to the sheets of the first set, and auxiliary anchoring devices located in the spaces between the ribs and including members secured to the opposing faces of the spaced sheets, and adapted to be interlocked with each other by relative sliding movement of the sheets along a line parallel with the ribs.

3. The combination with roof supporting members,'of a set of metal sheets anchored to the supports, a superposed assembly of metal sheets having depressed interlocking side margins and intermediate depressed portions forming ribs parallel with said side margins and cooperative therewith to support the second set of sheets in spaced relationship to the sheets of the first set, and means located between said ribs and connected with the opposing faces of the spaced portions of the sheets for anchoring the superposed set of sheets to those of the lower set against a shifting movement of the upper sheets along a line parallel to their ribs, the spaces between said ribs being sub-divided by filler blocks to provide heat insulating air cavities.

4. A metal roof comprising the combination with a suitable support, of sets of superposed metal sheets, the sheets of each set having depending side margins interlocked with the adjacent sheets of the set, a superposed set of similar interlocked sheets spaced from those of the first mentioned set by their depending and interlocked side margins and providing rectangular cavities between them, and a set of intervening filler blocks and filling material for the interlocked side margins sub-dividing the space between the inter-locking margins into closed air cavities.

5. The combination with a roof support, of an inclined roof mounted upon said support and comprising superposed and partially overlapped sets of metal sheets, said sheets being provided with parallel ribs including marginal rib forming members adapted to connect adjacent sheets with each other, the sheets of the overlaid sets being spaced and supported from those of the lower set by said ribs, and means for sub-dividing the spaces between the ribs to provide closed air cavities, the sets of sheets being respectively provided between the ribs with members adapted to be hooked together, whereby the sheets may be anchored to prevent relative shifting movement in the direction in which the roof inclines.

6. An inclined roof composed of material having substantially the tensile strength and rigidity of metal roofing and composed of multiple sets of superposed sheets provided at intervals with V-shaped ribs, including marginal interlocking rib members, whereby the sheets maybe supported in spaced relation to each other, the rib members of the upper sheets being mounted upon the sheets below them adjacent the rib members of the lower sheets, whereby the ribs of the successive sheets form substantially continuous rafterlike beams between. which some of the sheets are utilized to form ventilating passage means between the sets of sheets substantially co-extensive with the area of the roof and extending from eaves to ridge.

7. An inclined roof composed of material having substantially the tensile strength and rigidity of metal roofing and composed of multiple sets of superposed sheets supported in spaced relation to each other, and with some of the sheets providing ventilating passage means between the sets of sheets substantially c'o-extensive with the area of the roof and extending from caves to ridge, in combination with means for sub-dividing the space between another set of the sheets to form closed air traps.

8. An inclined roof composed of material having substantially the tensile strength and rigidity of metal roofing and composed of multiple sets of superposed sheets supported in spaced relation to each other by V-shaped ribs, said sheets being fiat and substantially parallel, and providing ventilating passage means between the sets of sheets substantially co -extensive with the area of the roof and extending from eaves to ridge, in combination with a centrally disposed ridge ventilator and means for connecting said ventilating passages extending along the ridge and connected with the ridge ventilator.

9. An inclined. roof composed of material having substantially the tensile strength and rigidity of metal roofing and composed of multiple sets of superposed sheets provided with V-shaped ribs disposed with those of the upper sheets adjacent the ribs of the lower sheets, said sheets being supported by the ribs in spaced relation to each other, and providing ventilating passages between the sets of sheets substantially co-extensive with the area of the roof and extending from eaves to ridge, in combination with a ridge ventilator, and damper valve means for separately controlling the flow of air through said passages to the ridge ventilator.

10. An inclined roof composed of material having substantially the tensile strength and rigidity of metal roofing and comprising the combination of plural sets of overlaid and partially overlapped ribbed sheets having fiat surfaces of substantial Width between the ribs, the sheets of the respective sets being arranged with the ribs in one set of sheets extending at right angles to the ribs of the adjacent upper and lower sets, said ribs serving as supporting and spacing members for their associated sheets, the upper set of sheets having V-shaped ribs extending from the ridge toward the eaves, and provided with weatherproof filling material, said sheets having flat integral and waterproof upper surfaces.

11. An inclined roof composed of material having substantially the tensile strength and rigidity of metal roofing, comprising the combination of plural sets of overlaid and partially overlapped ribbed sheets, the sheets of the respective sets being arranged with the ribs in one set of sheets extending at right angles to the ribs of the adjacent upper and lower sets, said ribs serving as supporting and spacing members for their associated sheets, the spaces between the ribs of one set of sheets being provided with valved ventilating means, and the spaces between the ribs of another set of sheets being sub-divided into closed air cavities.

12. An inclined roof composed of material having substantially the tensile strength and rigidity of metal roofing and comprising the combination of plural sets of superposed and partially overlapped ribbed sheets, the sheets of the respective sets being arranged with the ribs in one set of sheets extending at right angles to the ribs of the adjacent upper and lower sets, said ribs serving as supporting and spacing members for their associated sheets, the sheets of each set being provided between the ribs with plates welded tothe opposing faces and adapted to be slidingly interlocked, whereby the upper sheets may be anchored to those of the other sets.

13. An inclined roof composed of material having substantially the tensile strength and rigidity of metal roofing and comprising the combination of plural sets of superposed and partially overlapped generally flat sheets provided with marginally interlocked flanges forming supporting ribs, arranged with the ribs of the upper set extending from ridge to eaves, and provided with a weatherproof filling, the sheets of the intermediate set being arranged with its ribs extending at right angles to the ribs of the adjacent upper and lower sets, said ribs serving as supporting and spacing members for their associated sheets, the sheets of one set being also provided with sheet metal brackets, andthose of the next set being tions between the points of support connected with each other by interlocking anchorage means, and including a member connected with each of the sheets and adapted, when interlocked, to

prevent the upper sheet'from shifting on its 5 supports relatively to the lower sheet.

FREDRICK GETIELMAN. 

